The present invention generally relates to cotton harvesters and, more particularly, to a moistener stand support for a drum of a cotton harvester which is simple yet easily rotatable, pivotable or otherwise movable within the confines of a cabinet containing the drum and the moistener stand for accessing the moistening pads for service, maintenance and inspection, and for removing the moistener stand when required.
A typical cotton harvesting machine or harvester includes two or more harvesting units for harvesting cotton from rows of cotton plants during a harvesting procedure. Each harvesting unit includes one or more harvesting mechanisms comprised of multiple inter-related parts. A typical drum has a picker rotor assembly with doffer assemblies arranged in combination therewith. Each picker rotor assembly includes a series of upright picker bars capable of being oscillated about their respective upright axes. Each picker bar has a plurality of picker spindles arranged thereon one above the other. The picker spindles of each picker bar are rotatably driven by a driving arrangement within the picker bar. During forward motion of the machine, the picker spindles are brought into contact with the cotton plants to remove the cotton. The doffer assemblies then remove the cotton from the picker spindles. The doffer assemblies typically include pairs of opposing doffer pads between which the individual picker spindles are passed to remove the cotton therefrom. The picker spindles then pass through a picker spindle moistening assembly including a series of vertically arranged moistening pads supported on a moistener stand for adding moistening fluid to each of the picker spindles before they are introduced to the cotton plant again. After removal from the picker spindles, the cotton is blown by fans through ducts to a large basket located on the harvesting machine.
Over time, the moistening pads can become worn, and dirt, lint and other material can collect thereon, so as to require service and/or maintenance. And, at some point, the pads become sufficiently worn or damaged so as to require replacement. The moistener stands supporting the moistening pads are located within a cabinet or housing, typically in closely spaced relation to the above referenced drum components, and also to the sides and braces of the cabinet itself, necessitating rotating or moving the moistener stand at least somewhat from an operative position for moistening the picker spindles, to a service position which allows service or operator personnel to access the moistening pads. Reference in this regard, Deutsch et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,184 issued Jul. 25, 1989 to Deere and Company, which discloses a rotating moistener column for a cotton harvester including a rotating base structure including indexing structure for firmly securing the moistener column in a first rotational operating position or a service position angularly related to the operating position. However, for some service procedures it is not preferable to lock the column in the service position, and, often, the needed service is better accomplished by removing the entire column or stand, which is not readily facilitated by the referenced construction. The referenced construction also requires a height adjustment each time after service. It is sometimes desired or required to remove the moistener stand for service, and for accessing the other picker drum components. However, another shortcoming of some known moistener column or stand constructions is that removal thereof requires loosening fasteners and adjustment fittings which hold the column or stand in a particular position heightwise, and also fore and aft, relative to the picker spindles, thus requiring making new positional adjustments when the column is reinstalled.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a mounting structure for a moistener stand or column of a cotton harvester which facilitates repositioning and/or removing the stand or column for service, inspection and maintenance, and reinstalling the moistener stand or column without requiring readjusting the height or fore and aft positions thereof, and which overcomes the other shortcomings and problems discussed above.
According to the invention, an improved support for a moistener stand or column of a harvesting unit of a cotton harvester is disclosed. In addition to the moistener stand, the harvesting unit includes a cabinet having a top portion and a bottom portion defining a space containing a picker drum including at least one upright bar carrying a plurality of rotatably driven picker spindles arranged in a row one above the other. The moistener stand is elongate and upright, and supports a plurality of moistening pads arranged in a row one above the other for moistening the picker spindles, the moistener stand having an upper end and an opposite lower end. The top portion of the cabinet includes a receptacle which receives and holds the upper end of the moistener stand for rotation therein about a rotational center thereof. The improvement comprises a support pivotably connecting the lower end of the moistener stand to the bottom portion of the cabinet, the support positioning the moistener stand in a predetermined operative position and orientation wherein the moistening pads are positioned for contacting the picker spindles, and the support including a pivot offset from the rotational center of the receptacle such that when the moistener stand is rotated about the rotational center in a first direction away from the operative position, the moistener stand will be pivoted so as to be tilted relative to the bottom portion of the cabinet to raise the moistening pads relative to the picker spindles. In the pivoted position, to remove the moistener stand, it is simply raised to disconnect the lower end from the bottom portion of the cabinet, tilted further, and passed through an access opening of the cabinet portion.
Because there can be as many as twenty or so moistening pads supported on each moistener stand, an advantage of raising the pads from the picker spindles when the moistener stand is rotated away from the operative position, is that it makes the rotation easier, as the moistening pads do not significantly contact the picker spindles. Another advantage is that the present support is simpler than prior known supports. Also, because the moistener stand is tilted when it is rotated, the lower end is not dragged as much over dirt and dust covered surfaces, and the moistener stand can be manipulated more easily within the close confines of the cabinet or housing. Further, the present invention allows the moistener stand to be removed while retaining the height and fore and aft positional settings thereof relative to the picker spindles, such that removal and replacement is quick and easy.